Recycled bench to be placed in Edwardsville park

EDWARDSVILLE — More than 600 pounds of plastic bottle caps have been transformed into a new park bench for the Robert C. Stille Edwardsville Township Community Park, 6368 Center Grove Road.

Last February, the Edwardsville High School Interact Club partnered with the SIUE Rotaract Club to sponsor the A Bench for Caps (ABC) project with the goal of collecting 400 pounds of recyclable plastic caps and lids. Together, both groups reached out to fellow students, faculty, and community businesses and members to assist in collecting the plastic caps and lids. The clubs exceeded their goal and more than 600 pounds of recyclable plastic caps and lids were driven to Green Tree Plastics in Evansville, Ind., which turned the plastic into an 8-foot park bench.

Edwardsville Township Supervisor Frank Miles, township trustees and other elected officials will join Edwardsville High School Interact Club members, SIUE Rotaract Club members, Rotary Club of Edwardsville members and Goshen Rotary Club members at 11 a.m. Saturday, August 30, near Pavilion 3 by the American flag at Robert C. Stille Edwardsville Township Community Park, 6368 Center Grove Road, Edwardsville.

The Edwardsville High School Interact Club is a Rotary -sponsored organization for high school students that strives to better the lives of others in our community, country and world. The EHS interact Club strives to achieve the “Service Above Self” motto by immersing themselves into the community in a variety of ways. The EHS Interact Club is sponsored by the Rotary Club of Edwardsville.

The SIUE Rotaract Club is a Rotary-sponsored organization as well for young men and women between the ages of 18-30, which bridges the gap between Interact and Rotary. The SIUE Rotaract Club achieves “Service Above Self” by developing leadership skills and completing community service as well. The SIUE Rotaract Club is sponsored by the Goshen Rotary Club.